The Deal that Started it All
by Mandanicole12
Summary: Emma Tolly , Charlie Bone , and Olivia Vertigo are about 16 now, so Tancred Torsson and Lysander Sage and around 17. Has TancredEmma and OliviaCharlie. Rated M to be safe :P Follows Tancred and Emma.
1. Chapter 1

**Following Emma:**

With a swift spin around her room, her pale blonde hair wrapped around her in feather-light sways. Her plain white sundress fit her body perfectly, and her white flats with a black bow on the end went perfectly with her outfit.

Except something was still wrong, somehow it didn't look right. Emma Tolly twirled around a few more times before finally plopping down heavily on her bed.

Why couldn't she just throw something on and still look good, like Olivia, her best friend.

Olivia managed to make the most hideous or tackiest things look amazing, rather than fretting over every minor detail like Emma.

Emma sighed deeply in surrender and pulled off the white dress.

"Emma!" Her Aunt Julia called from the sitting room downstairs. "You better get some sleep so you can go out with your friends tomorrow!"

As much as she hated to do it, Emma just couldn't afford to go to sleep right now. She had to pick out the perfect outfit for their outing tomorrow. What if Tancred comes and sees me? she thought absentmindedly to herself. What if he thinks I'm still just a little sister? No. I want him to really see me tomorrow. I want him to think about me instead of patting my head.

She ran downstairs after brushing her teeth and putting on her pajamas, and grabbed a book off one of the shelves in the book store. "Mince the Mayhem" she read quietly. "A book about fashion disasters in a teenagers closet."

Emma had finally convinced her Aunt Julia to put in a book section for something other than history, to draw in new customers of course...

As she sat reading the beaten and withered old book, her mind began to drift into space. She soon found herself sprawled on the book store counter, reading intently about each and every mistake girls make.

It was 4 o'clock when she finally drifted off to sleep, her finger still holding her place in "Mince the Mayhem." Her dreams ran wild with various thoughts, plots, and ideas, taking her more and more into a deep comforting sleep atop the wooden counter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Following Tancred:**

Tancred rode silently in the back of Olivia's Kia Rondo, while her and Charlie chatted actively in the front. They were going to meet up with Lysander at Ingldew's Bookshop so they could pick up Emma, but mainly because Lysander would be coming back from Lauren's so it would be close for him.

The thought of Emma Tolly made the little blonde hairs on the back of Tancred's neck stand up. She was shy, smart, very talented at drawing and painting, sweet, worrisome, cute. He couldn't even think of all the things that set off his alarms when she came around. But like himself, Emma Tolly was one of the few good endowed children that attended Bone's Academy.

Tancred had never actually seen her do it, but Emma could transform into a bird that she called a Tollrock. She drew it all the time in art class, the best drawings she ever did were of that majestic bird.

As Olivia parked her car on a side street, they saw Lysander walking to the bookshop door. He stopped to wait on everyone to catch up before they went in. Tancred was the first to spot her sprawled sleeping body.

Emma's head rest on her left arm, while the other held her place in her book, but hanging over the side of the wooden counter. She had on a pair of shorts and a lose fitting tank top, probably her pajamas. Her blonde hair spiraled around her face and head in a beautiful manner.

"Emma?" Tancred looked on as Olivia tried to wake the sleeping girl.

"Liv, maybe you should try something else?" Charlie patted her back softly.

"Emma!" Olivia screamed next to Emma's ear, making her flail wildly.

"Tancred no!" Emma screamed as she fell off the back of the counter. Everyone in the room gasped and chuckled at the same time.

"Em, Tancred didn't do anything. He wasn't even near you." Olivia chuckled loudly at her own thoughts. She knew exactly why Emma thought it was Tancred.


	3. Chapter 3

**Following Emma:**

Tancred ran his hand down her back and pulled himself on top of her. Emma wasn't even nervous, she only wished to be with him longer and longer; to be wrapped up in his wonderfully warm body and smell. Everything about him screamed yes to her.

Tancred kissed her neck slowly and tangled his fingers in her pale blonde hair. He pulled off his shirt and she trailed her fingers down his back, digging her fingers into him. His blonde spiky hair crackled with excitement. He loved it, loved her.

He wanted everything about her; every touch, every smell, every whisper. He held her greedily, trying to keep her smiling at him. But in a quick jerk, he jumped up from her and yelled at the top of his lungs "Emma!" He jumped off the bed, running out of the room.

"Tancred no!"

Emma woke suddenly and fell off the back of the wooden bookshop counter that she had been sleeping on. "Em, Tancred didn't do anything. He wasn't even near you." Olivia chuckled loudly.

"What? Oh, sorry. I must have fell asleep here last night." Emma slowly stood up behind the counter. She noticed all the faces in the room staring at her, and her cheeks quickly flashed a deep shade of scarlet.

"Maybe you should go get ready for the movies?" Olivia pointed out sarcastically.

"Uh, right. Give me just a minute." Emma quickly scrambled through the back curtain into the living courters that she shared with her Aunt Julia.

Olivia smiled a devilish grin. "I'm going to go help her." She wanted to speak to Emma about this so-called "Tancred no" business. With a jump and a skip she walked into Emma's room, where Emma was vigorously trying on different outfits. "Em, what was that Tancred no stuff about, huh?"

"What do you mean, Liv?" Emma tried to act innocent like she didn't know anything.

"Don't play dumb. Tancred wasn't anywhere close to us. You were dreaming about Tancred weren't you?" Olivia's smile only broadened when Emma pretended not to hear the question. "Are you serious? What kind of dream was it? Like, something the boys shouldn't know about kind of dream? Or something the boys should not know about kind of dream?"

Emma's cheeks only got redder. "It was nothing, Liv. Just a stupid dream that had nothing to do with you and Charlie and everyone. It was nothing."

"You never said it didn't have anything to do with Tancred now did you? I think you're stalling so you won't have to admit that you were having a wonderful dream about Tancred."

"Liv please don't tell! Not even Charlie! Promise?" Emma was almost in tears.

"Calm down, Emma. I won't tell, just the satisfaction of knowing you did is good enough for me." Olivia stuck her tongue out in a playful manner to show that she was joking. Emma sighed heavily and sat down on her bed.

"This is going to be a long movie, isn't it?" Emma closed her eyes and sighed even more when Olivia said yes.


	4. Chapter 4

**Following Tancred:**

Her beautiful smile filled his vision for the first time since he had met this extraordinary girl. Her pale blonde hair fell over her shoulders and down her back like silk. Charlie said something to make her lilting laugh ring out around the group of friends.

Emma Tolly was at school for the first time since Charlie had woken her up from her trance state. She looked healthy, confident, and happy. She had never looked like that before, and it had caught Tancred's watchful eyes.

"Hello Tancred." Emma would always give a shy smile before she waved and quickly walked away.

"Tancred, you seem at a loss for words when the girls come around. Are you afraid to talk to girls?" In truth, he didn't care if Olivia or Bindi or even Lauren came around. The only one that made his breath catch in his throat and lose his balance was Emma Tolly.

Emma used to sluggishly drag herself into the cafeteria for breakfast, lunch, and diner, but now she had a joyful bounce in her step that made Tancred, and lots of other boys, smile just watching her. She never seemed to have a frown on her bright face, whereas you used to not be able to get her to smile for anything.

Olivia had become her best friend, and Charlie had gotten pretty close with them too. But since Lysander had started dating Lauren, Tancred was somewhat lonely on the weekends. That is, until he saw Emma, Olivia, and Charlie at the park one day. Since that day you couldn't pry the four apart with a crowbar.

Olivia wanted to be around Charlie, and Tancred wanted to be around Emma. They all had their reasons to hang out, but Tancred's was probably the most striving effort. He would take any chance he got to hang out with her.

"Emma Tolly, I will never let anyone hurt you ever again." Tancred stared longingly at a picture of the four friends crammed into a photo booth.


	5. Chapter 5

**Following Emma:**

A girl with pink stripes in her hair rummaged around in the sale box, not really caring if there was anything there. Emma couldn't help but stare at the girl. It was a slow day in the shop, Olivia was on vacation, and Charlie, Lysander, and Tancred were having a guys' weekend.

Another girl came up and hugged the other. They quickly walked out of the shop giggling. Emma hated when Olivia went off because she had no one to hang out with.

The only people left in the shop were two preteen boys with their grandmother. They tried to get too rowdy, so the grandmother apologized and quickly hurried them out. Now Emma's head slipped down to the counter, followed by a heavy sigh.

Emma grabbed her sketch book and started drawing a Tollrock, but was rudely interrupted when several teens from Bone's came sauntering through the front door. The boys were loud and obnoxious, and the girls couldn't quit laughing at the reactions of Emma.

"What's wrong, Tolly?"

"Hey, I didn't know you worked here. Need the money? Or do they just pay you in food?"

"Aww, don't be mean Tommy, she can't help if she has no mommy or daddy." All four of them began to laugh hysterically, making tears well up in Emma's eyes. But before she could run away, a howling wind rushed through the store.

"I don't know what your business is here, but I don't think they want it." Tancred, Lysander, and Charlie held the door open in agitation.

"And if you even think about making my best friend cry, you won't live to see tomorrow." Olivia strolled passed the three boys and walked straight up to the girls.

"Calm down, we were just having some fun." One of the guys ushered the others to the door because he recognized Tancred and Lysander as two of the endowed kids.

"I think you owe Emma an apology, Mr. Tommy Pricher." Tancred stood in his way until all of them had apologized and darted out.

"Em, you can't let people get to you like that. If you do, then others will control your whole life." Olivia nudged her best friend's arm playfully.

With a reassuring smile, Emma proceeded to invite them all back for tea. "By the way, Liv, why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be in London with your mom?" Emma brought over the tea, sitting down awkwardly next to Tancred.

"Well, yes. But mom had to leave early because she had an emergency meeting with her agent." Olivia shrugged when Emma gave her a quizzical look.

"And we all had a rather not-so-fun day at the park when Runner Bean chased after somebody's cat." Charlie didn't seem very pleased with the day's outcome.

"Maybe we could hang out sometime next week and have a better time than today." Tancred slowly turned to look at Emma to see what she thought.

"I'll have to check with Aunt Julia, but I think I probably could." She shyly smiled at Tancred, making her cheeks flush red.


	6. Chapter 6

**Following Tancred:**

"Thanks for coming over guys. I'm kind of at a loss for words on why I thought you could help, but I figured if anyone could it would be you guys." Tancred paced back and forth in his room nervously.

"It wasn't a big deal, Tanc, but what's this about?" Charlie sat patiently at Tancred's desk, glancing back and forth from Lysander to Tancred.

"Come on, Tanc. What's going on?" Lysander finally moved into Tancred's path to grab his attention.

"Well, to be honest. I want you guys to make plans, very demanding plans, that take up your entire saturday."

"And why would we do that?" Lysander looked skeptically at Tancred with a smirk on his dark face.

"Well...I...I kind of wanted...its just that...come on! Can't you just do me a favor?"

"Actually, I would also like to know why we should." Charlie seemed to catch on to Lysander's gaze.

"Yeah Tanc, just tell us why and I bet Charlie and I could cooperate."

"I want to ask Emma out on a date!" Tancred seemed to break as he slumped into a chair. He slowly rubbed his face and ran his hands through his hair before continuing. "I want to ask her on a date, ok? I like Emma, I want to date her, and I want her to like me just as much as I do her, ok?"

"Really? Finally, Tanc?" Lysander patted Tancred's shoulder in assurance.

"I really like her, Sander. I will try anything." Tancred looked up at them in sympathy.

"Why do you really want to be with Emma? She's just a quiet shy girl that will probably never even let you kiss her if anyone is around." Charlie scooted it closer to interrogate.

"Don't you dare talk about Emma like that! You know nothing about her!" Tancred knocked the chair over as he jumped to his feet.

"And you do?" Lysander crossed his arms and stepped a little closer.

"Are you kidding? Emma is beautiful and her intelligence is through the roof. She's an amazing artist that loves to draw birds, especially tollrocks because that's what she changes into. She cares about everyone's problems whether she knows them or not because she was unable to care about anything for eight years of her life! She does everything she can to take care of her friends and family, and always wishes that if something happens it'll be to her. She loves having a long hot shower after a terrible fight with anyone because it calms her nerves and lets her think clearly. She doesnt like wearing anything to formal because she feels like she's conforming to society, but she also doesnt like people to see her in her pajamas because she feels its an inappropriate suggestion to the opposite party. She wants three kids in life, two boys and one girl. And she wants a husband that loves her and cares just as much for her kids. She doesn't care if he has money or not, she only cares about his love."

Charlie and Lysander had gone silent.

"If you don't think I know that girl like the back of my hand, you're dead wrong." Tancred grabbed a random object and threw it across the room forcefully.

A very powerful storm started to brew outside. Emma Tolly and Olivia Vertigo ran as fast as they could to the partially concealed book shop. They both knew it had something to do with the boys, they just didn't know what.


	7. Chapter 7

**Following Emma:**

"Emma! You have a phone call!" Julia Ingldew set the phone down before returning to her awaiting customers.

Emma rolled off her bed upstairs and carefully made her way down to the phone in the back room of the shop, making sure not to knock over any stacks of books that Patton Yewbeam had made in her path.

"Hello?" Emma was expecting a call from Olivia, but instead a nervous voice on the other end tried to form a sentence.

"Hi, Emma. I w-was wondering if y-you w-were busy l-later today."

"No, but may I ask who this is?" Emma's breath caught in her throat when the stammering voice continued.

"I-Its Tancred."

"Oh, well no, I'm not." Emma had to struggle to speak clearly.

"Well, I was going to see if you would like to g-go to the movies."

"Oh, hang on." Tancred heard Emma yelling in the background, and then coming back on. "Aunt Julia said it was ok, so I'll be there. What time are we meeting?"

"I was thinking around 8:30 maybe?"

"Alright. See you later, Tancred." She hung up and back tracked her steps. "Now all I have to do is find something cute to wear." She sighed heavily as she flopped down on her bed.

It took her six hours to realize she had absolutely nothing to wear that night. She waited a little longer and finally picked up the phone in the hall and called Olivia. "Hey Em, what's up?"

"I was curious what you're wearing tonight." Emma leaned against the wall lazily.

"Um, pajamas?"

"Wait, you're wearing pajamas to the movies?"

"What are you talking about? We're not going to the movies!"

"Well, according to Tancred, we are. He called me this morning to ask if I was going."

"Well I know Charlie and Lysander have very busy plans that don't include girls. And as you know, I'm not going without Charlie because its pointless. You know the only reason I go on these group dates is so I can get to Charlie. So either you were the first he called, or its totally just a Tancred Emma date."

"Well what am I going to do? I can't go by myself!" Emma was starting to have a panic attack.

"Calm down! I'll be over in ten minutes max. I'll bring something for you to wear!" Olivia quickly hung up the phone and raced to get things together.


	8. Chapter 8

**Following Tancred:**

He fumbled nervously with his shirts, trying to find the perfect shirt for his date. "Now which one would Emma like the best?"

"Tancred, I'm back from the store. I picked up all the things you asked for." Mrs. Torsson carefully laid things out as her son came up to the table. "I got the deodorant, cologne, weather resistant hair gel, and I got some money out of the ATM for you. Is this everything you needed?"

Tancred didn't stick around to answer, he was already gone upstair and throwing things on like fire. "I have to make sure to pay for everything, even if it means I end up broke." He grabbed his wallet and ran out the door.


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry it's been so long since I updated. I recently broke my wrist so it's been heck trying to figure out how to type. Anyway, thanks Dolphin Diver for the comment about the story. And thanks to randommonkeyz99, I really like it when people give me feedback per chapter. I'll try to update as soon as I can, so pray its soon! PS! Don't forget to review! Your reviews are the only reason I keep writing!

* * *

**Following Emma:**

"Liv, I'm begging you. Don't make me stay here by myself. Just come with me, and I'll feel better." Emma tugged on Olivia's shirt as she pulled up next to the movie theater. Olivia shook her head firmly and unlocked Emma's door.

"Em, you've got to do it." With a hard shove, Olivia pushed Emma out the door, flailing the whole way. "You'll thank me later!"

Emma gaped at her best friend's Kia as it quickly drove away and turned down a side street. "Emma! I thought that was Liv's car." Tancred walked up with a brilliant smile spreading wider and wider across his face by the second.

"Yeah," she cleared her throat softly and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "So what are we going to watch?"

"I was actually hoping you would pick."

"Oh." Emma nervously shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

* * *

Tancred opened the door awkwardly for Emma. They picked an awkward movie to watch, as well as picking the most awkward part of the theater to sit, the very back cuddle section. Every time she tried to make light conversation, he would blankly stare at her like she was stupid.

"Well, Liv still won't be here for another 30 minutes, so I guess I'll just wait here." Emma was about to sit down on the curb when Tancred cleared his throat softly.

"Well, if you wanted we could walk around the park for a bit until she gets here." Emma's face started to redden, something she had managed to keep from happening all night.

"Uh, sure. Why not?" They started out through the neighboring city park, being some of the only ones in the park.

Her hands were freezing, but she didn't dare try to let a shiver quake from her blue body. "Here, you're cold." Tancred threw his jacket around her shoulders and she secretly huddled into it gladly.

On around the path, she saw an amazing site. An ice cream trolly man laughed whole-heartedly at Emma's hunger stricken face. "If you would like," he started. "I will gladly give you each a cone, seeing as how I'm closing up anyway." Emma gratefully took a strawberry ice cream cone.

"Aren't you going to get one Tanc? It's the best ice cream in all of England, even if it is only a park stand." She giggled lightly, but turned away when she started to blush from his stare.

Tancred mumbled under his breath, but spoke up when she looked at him quizzically. "I'm uh, well, I can't have it."

"What? Why not? If you are intolerant, that makes me really sad." Emma nibbled on her cone as she stared at nothing.

"I tend to make it snow." He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and shifted his weight nervously.

"Oh." Emma paused to think about how she could make him feel better, but make sure things didn't get awkward again. "I like snow." She mumbled, only thinking to herself. But slowly she held the cone up to him, and a shy smile spread across his face as he quickly stole a lick.

A tiny snowflake landed on Emma's cheek. With giggling and chuckling, Tancred accepted his ice cream cone and they headed back toward the movie theater.


End file.
